Cable clip



June 30, 1936. v YH; P. CHANDLER 2,046,247 Y CABLE CLIP Filed Sept'. l,1934 A ttor ne y Patented `lune 30, 1936 A Ulsu'rlan STATES .est ENTE@Fries Application September 1, 1934-, SerialNPo'. 742,455

7V Claims.

My invention relatesA to clampsfor cables and wiresand particularlywhere it is desired to unite two parallel cables. with overlapping endsor to unite the end of a cable which hasvbeenbent back; upon itself toform a loop.

mind toprovide a simple, inexpensive clamp of high gripping power and inwhich the gripping` power will increase with increased strain tendtomove.the cables relative toeaehV other.

Another object of my inventionris to provide/a clainp vwhich iscompactand easyy of manipular-v tioninlapplying to the cable.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination andrelationv fv the parts hereinafter described andv shownin the accomfpanying drawing.A

Eig, 1 is a side View inlelevation of; my invention.`

Fig. 2 is a top view.

Fig. 3- is, anend view.

Fig. Llis a longitudinal sectioneon the line 47--4 of; l with theaddition of a pair of overlapped cable ends shownin dotted lines inposi- .tlQnlfor clamping; Y

. 1ig 5 is; an enlarged schematicA drawing for illustrating the relativemovement of the elements .of Vmy invention.

Eig, 6 is a View merely illustrative of the relaa.; pair of cables whichhave been placed under severe strain.

There are many forms of. clamps upon` the market for clamping two cablestogether under 3.5* tension andwhich are particularly adapted forusetwith steel or` iron cable but many of them are veryinefcient in;that they require a number of. clamps at a singleY point to accomplishtheY desired object, while other clamps may requirev a 49 less number ofclamps to accomplish the same result..

My invention provides a single clamp which accomplish the same resultsas several 45 clamps of past construction acting in unison, thusreducing the cost of uniting the cables.

My inventionis also automatic in operation, that is, as the strain isapplied to the'cables tending yto move them apart the grip upon the 50,same will be automatically increased through the useofv cooperating. camsurfaces in contactwith the, Cables,

' Many ofthe clamps upon the market have the nuts on'A the fasteningbolts so close together that 5g, it` isldifficult for an operator toproperly apply Among the objects of my invention I have in' tiorrwhich asimple clamping device will take to (o1. 24T-115i the'clamps 'andy in myconstruction I. have avoided this objection.

Inthepreferred embodiment of my invention I employ.. two like clampingmembers l and 2. The members are held together by meansof bolts 3 and 3and nuts 4 and il? respectively'.

The bolts A are applied 'to the clamping members iareverseerder- The.bearing surfaces on the clamps for the head ofw the bolts andthe nutsare stepped. The clampingmember l hasthe curved surface 5 and also the..curved surfacehi which'. is depressed relative to the surface 5. Theclamping member Zhas'tl'iecfurved surface lfand 4also the lcurvedsurface 8 which is depressed relative to the surface l.

It will be noted that the raised surface 5 coacts through the` niediiimlof the bolt s with the depressedl surface 8; of the` opposite clamp andthat theiraisedsurface l cooperates withfthe de# pressedsurface t, oftheopposite clampithrough thamedium oftthaboltji l The curvature of the.surfaces l and 8 are shown as. harina a @ummm .Center d (Fie 3f and thesame is true of the` center of curvature lfor the surfacesvhand B. vThecurvedsurfacs permit the clamping members I and 2Ar to easily roll orVrock relative to each` othern and with respect to the headsVr and` nutsof .the bolts 3and 3 when stress is applied to theLcablesvA and clampedbetween the surfacesSandV I U.

Referringto'lig. 5, the numerals. applied there-V tQ designatecorresponding parts on the other Vfigures Q; theldrawing. U

The.Vv relation oftheclamping members.' and '2, totheblt 3w and nut lare shown in Fig.V 5 in `full lines and. their relative` position afterbeing clamped toa pair of cablesand stress placed upon the cables,`tending togseparate them is representedfby the dotted lines.

It will*r be noted that the Adistance between the clamping'surfacesaandV l0 when the members l and 2..have. been initially. clamped uponacable isY representedr bythe distance. b. If stress is, placed upon.the cablesias indicated by the arrows in Fig. V6 tendingA to.' withdrawthe cables from the clamp thenthe members. l and 2 will rollV l and?rollllncn. the bei headend Hut and after f Such movement thermesisrepresentefiby. .0..

irlailfl dittaneeis less. thai-meesten@ -2 Y' i Y 2,046,247

decreased(V The pressure of the camsurfacerupon the cables as they tendto separate is increased asl f thedifference between b and c isdecreased.V

.Y The'bolts 3 pass through openings Il and l2 in the castings l and 2respectively, the walls of A f which taper thus permitting the clampingmem lbers or`roll or pivot with respect tothe bolt heads and nuts. f

Y I'find that making the walls of the openings IlleY uand l2 V,withabout a 10 taper each gives very Y Vgoodzresults, that is, sufficientmovement of the parts, but this amount of course may bejincreased ordecreased, thus effecting the amount of roll orY rock of theclampingmembersrelative tothe boltsY and 'nuts'.Y

YWhen the Ymembers I and 2 have rolled upon 'Y the bolt heads and' nutsVa sufficient 'amount to take up the full10 or otherrspacing'in the open-V25 ings'l l and VI 2, then any increased vstrain upon the VVcablestending to pull them apart will have a` tendency to vcause the axis :c-yto assume an oblique position to the direction Yof strain 'placed`',upon the cables as showniin Fig. 6 and this will Y t have a tendencyalso to further increase the gripping effect upon the cables. I findthat the tend-Y ency for therbolt to VassumeV an oblique -angle isgreater when a single clamp is used and decreases as additional clampsare used. v

The curvature fof the faces 5,6, l and 8 may be the same or may differ,-and also the Vangle ofthe openings l l and i2' and likewise the radiusof the.

' clamping surfaces 9 and I0 may be varied to'vary Vthe clamping effectupon the cablesunder stress.

4,0VA VItl Will be noted that the nuts 4 and'llf are posi- Y tioned wellabove and below respectively of VtheV adjacent boltheads(Fig.'1)'and'thisis'a-decided Vvbenefit 'in'that it' permitsVtherconvenient appli- 1 cation of a Wrench to the nuts 4V and 4f; inapplying the clamp to the cables. If both nuts wereV Vadjacent and onthe same plane it will be appreciated "that difficulty would be*V had inproperly tightening the nuts unless the bolts-*were spread aVYconsiderable distance apart but withV the nuts and vbolts, arranged asdescribed and 'shown the inner surface of the bolts can bebroughtintovery' closeV or contact relation to the cables, thus making Yavclamp which has a high degree-of permanent gripY upon lthe cables Yasthere will bea small amount Y ofyield in the parts of each clampingmember due i to'compactnessfor a given amount of metal. y

\ IV also nd that it is a' convenience to have one of the-boltspermanentlyattached to one of the` clamping members and,- therefore, Iprovide lugs V V I3 which form-a V groove to receive the corner of thebolt -head and these lugs projectabove the. .head of the vbolt andbefore leaving the factory `Vthe projecting portion mayV `be `bent over:thus

5 securing one of the bolts permanently to onerof '65 the clampingmembers. The lugs I3 are not bent n over to such a degreeY as to preventthe free rolling movement ofthe clampingmembergrelative'to the bolt.

Y Modifications will suggest themselves-to those 170" skilledin the artafter my disclosure and, therey fore, V*I wish to bev limited only by myclaims. ,Y ,I`claim:- t Y t n Y. 1. Ajcable clamp VAto grip apairofcables com- Y a, prising a pair of oppositely disposed-like mem-.

751` bers, each member having Ya cable-receiving of the bolts to permitrelative rocking of the bolts groove to receive one of the cables, eachgroove being convexed relative tothe longitudinal` axisV of the cables,each memberhaving steppedpor-fl tionswith curved seating surfaces,anopenlng i;

intersecting each curved seating surface, a pair of 5 bolts with nutsmounted in the openings and extending through the openings to draw themembers into clamping engagement with the' cables, the openings beingofgreater diameter than thatY and members, each bolt extendingy throughan opening in each member with the bolt head and nut engaging the saidcurved seating surface of opposite members permitting the members torock relative to each other and to the cables and bolts 15 V when stressisapplied to the cables tendingl t0 withdraw them from Vthe clamp.

f 2. A cable clip toy clamp a pair ofV cables ,to- VVgether comprising apair of counterpart clamping Y members,eachfme'mbe`r comprising abodyhaving 20r 'Y a `groove convexed vrelativeV to kthe longitudinali' axisYof the cable to receive one of the cablesand a headed 'clamping boltmounted in and projecting through an over-size opening in thebdy andmeans on the bodyengaging the boltV head to hold 2.5'

the bolt loosely inposition with the headV in position to engage aportion of the body adjacent the opening, a second opening in each body`through Whichrthe projectingportion of thebolt ofthe opposite clampingmember extends, an-adjust- 3.

able nuton the'freeve'ndlof each boltto;engage a portion of the oppositebody, the boltsland nuts. adapted to draw the clamping members into'clamping engagement-with the cables, the portion of the bodies engagedby-the `,bolt'heads and'. nuts 35' being convex to form curvedseats topermitthe L clamping members to rock relative tothe clamping boltsandnuts and toeach other-and-to. the cables when the cables are stressedin opposite directions. Y v Y l Y40 lELA cable clip to clamp a pair ofcables-.to-

getherlcomprising a'pair of like clamping members, each membercomprising a body having a groove to receive `a cable and theV surfaceofthef groove convex relative to the longitudinal axis of F45*` s Y 'thecable and-a headed clamping bolt'project-` i ing through-an opening inthe body and means to Y holdV the bolt loosely in position with the headin position to engage Vwith acurved portion of 'the' body and afsecondopening inthe body through 56 whichthe projectionY portionfof the bolton'the g opposite clamping member extends, the openingsY having aclearance relative tothe bolts ,to-allow. a` rocking movement `of themembers relative tolthe l .bolts,gan adjustable-nut' on thefree end ofeach 55V bolt in positionv to engage a curved portion ofthe body of theopposite member, the bolts andnuts.

adapted to'draw the `members'4 into clamping en-.Y Y

g'agement with thecables,` the said body portions: i

engaged bythe bolts Y'and nuts formingconvexedieo seats to permit thebody members to rock relative tothe clamping boltand nut andj'to eachother and to the cables, the portions of ithe bodies;v

`Vengaged by thebolt heads being positioned nearer the cable than' thesaidportion of thesame body65 which Vissengaged bythe nut ofthe boltVonlthe opposite body. Y f y Y 4. A cable clip to-clamp a pair ofcablesto- Ygether comprising a pair of clamping members,A

each member comprisinga body having-a groove to receive a Ycable and thesurface ofthe groove4 convex relative to the longitudinal axis ofthecable'and arseparatelyrformed heade'd'clampingV bolt projecting looselythroughA an openinginthev j Y Y body and means to hold therbolt against'turningl" the body engaged bythe bolt heads and nuts be- Y ing convexedto permit the clamping members to rock relative to the clamping boltsand nuts and to each other and to the cables.

5. A cable clip to clamp a pair of cables together comprising a pair ofclamping members to receive a pair of cables, each member comprising abody having a groove to receive one of the cables and a headed clampingbolt projecting through an opening in the body with the head in positionto engage with the body and clearance between the body and bolt, asecond opening through each body through whichthe bolt on thecooperating clamping member extends, an adjustable nut on the free endof each bolt to engage vvith the body of the opposite clamping member,the surfaces of the bodies engaged by the bolt heads and nuts beingconvex to permit the body members to pivot relative to the bolts andcables, the surface of the aforesaid groove being curved convexlyrelative to the longitudinal axis of the cables to provide a rocking camaction of each clamping member relative to the cables to increase theclamping pressure thereon as the strain upon the cables to separate themincreases.

6. A cable clip to clamp a pair of cables together comprising a pair ofclamping members, each member provided with a body having a pair ofspaced openings and a cable engaging seat curved convexly relative tothe cable to permit both clamping members to rock relative to the cablesin the plane of the cables andfto each other, abolt positioned looselyin one opening of each body and projecting through the other opening ofthe cooperating clamping member, means to hold the bolt loosely butagainst longitudinal displacement, the surfaces adjacent the openingsbeing convex and the plane of the surfaces adjacent the opening in whichthe bolt is secured being depressed relative to the plane of the surfaceof the other opening, a nut threaded on each bolt to engage the surfaceadjacent the opening on the cooperating clamping member through whichthe bolt projects, the nuts and bolts arranged to draw the bodies intoclamping engagement with the cables, the clamping engagement of themembers upon the cables increasing as the stress upon the cablesincreases comprising a body having a cable-receiving groove ,Y

to receive one of the cables, the groove being convexed relative to thelongitudinal axis of the cable, stepped portions With curved seatingsurfaces, an opening intersecting each curved seating surface, a boltmounted in one of the openings, the opening for the bolt being ofgreater diameter than that of the bolt Vto permit the bolt to rockrelative to the body member, bent-over means to limit longitudinalmovement of the bolt in one direction relative to the body member, and anut on the bolt arranged to draw the body member and a cooperatingclamping member into clamping engagement With the cables and permit themembers to rock relative to each other and to the cables When stress isapplied to the cables in opposite directions tending to draw

